We all keep a close eye on our most favorite celebrities, especially when they get pregnant and start setting new fashion trends with their maternity wear! Soon after the birth of their babies, the paparazzi lens fools us into believing that celebrity moms go back to their pre-baby bodies instantly. However, as explained by your trusted Manhattan plastic surgeon, it’s extremely important to understand that such drastic body transformations require time and effort. Your body goes through natural changes after giving birth, and it usually takes several months for the body to regain its pre-pregnancy form.

During pregnancy, your body produces many hormones for the proper growth and nourishment of your baby. This normal hormonal cycle, along with the baby growing inside you, causes many changes throughout the pregnancy in order to accommodate this growth. Finally, after giving birth, your breasts engorge to produce milk for the baby. When these changes are no longer required, your skin contracts to varying degrees in order to return to its pre-pregnancy form. But, often times, the desired return leaves many women disappointed.

Despite regular exercise and proper diet, many women are left with extra skin and fatty tissue in the lower abdomen after pregnancy. Also, even after the breasts have returned to their pre-pregnancy weight, they seem to have lost their volume and shape. The result, unfortunately, is a body that differs vastly from what we used to know.

In such situations, a mommy makeover is a feasible surgical procedure to rectify these changes that your body has undergone. Mommy makeovers usually include an abdominoplasty, usually called a ‘tummy tuck’, a breast lift, breast augmentation or breast reduction, and liposuction.

Liposuction in Manhattan has gained massive acceptance and popularity, owing to the expert cosmetic surgeons in that area. The same can be said for breast augmentation and tummy tuck procedures in Manhattan. New York City has some of the best plastic surgeons in the world, and the options for women here are better than ever before.

One point that I always stress to my patients is that these cosmetic surgeries should only be used for body contouring, and not as a substitute for weight loss. In order to ensure a safe surgery and long-lasting results, the mothers should be in the best physical shape possible and at their ideal body weight for at least 6 months. Stopping, or at least diminishing breast feeding is also preferable, since breast surgery changes, even if only temporarily, your breastfeeding abilities. I always advise my patients to be sure that they complete their childbearing before they head for a ‘mommy makeover‘. It’s absolutely possible, and there’s plenty of precedent, to have a successful pregnancy after a mommy makeover, but to optimize results, and make sure that they are long-lasting, it’s best to follow my advice. Every pregnancy can and will change your body, so keep that in mind and consider it carefully. The important thing is to understand that pregnancy is a beautiful process and the vast majority of women enjoy the journey. Different women, however, will recover from pregnancy changes at different rates. So, careful consideration before embarking on the mommy makeover procedures is best.

Make sure you choose the right plastic surgeon for you. A surgeon who certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery is always a safe place to start. Take a close look at their previous surgical outcomes and ask where your surgery will be performed. Make sure that the surgical procedure will be performed in an accredited facility which is well-equipped to deal with any emergency that may arise during or after the procedure. Also, make sure to look at plenty before-and-after picture to get a real sense of your probable results. And most importantly, make sure that your Manhattan plastic surgeon is kind, warm, and is a team-player that you can really work with.